Growing Stronger
by Saphira76scales
Summary: AU. Sakura is the 17 year-old daughter of a dangerous and wealthy gang leader. After being targeted by her father's enemies, Sakura is assigned a bodyguard - by the name of Tsunade. WARNING - Yuri, implied rape, and other mature themes. Rated M for language.
1. Chapter 1

**Growing Stronger**

**Okay, so this is my first fanfic. Yeah, it's kinda a crack pairing, and it's probably going to be pretty long, but please bear with me. I'm not sure how far I'm going to go with this, or even if I should continue very long with it – feedback and reviews would be appreciated, even if it's just something small! I hope you enjoy~ ;D**

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**Chapter One**

The wind blew through the trees of the peaceful garden, shaking the pink blossoms from their branches. They drifted on the breeze, causing ripples as they touched the still surface of the pond, distorting the reflection of the darkening early evening sky. A girl sat at the water's edge, watching as her image wavered with the landing of the small flowers, her sea green eyes staring blankly into its depths.

_Empty._

Her hair blew in the now fading breeze, the tangled pink strands shifting slightly before they settled, falling past her shoulders. Above her, grey clouds were starting to roll in, further darkening the sky and carrying the promise of rain. The girl saw their wavering reflection on the rippling water, yet didn't show any signs of moving to leave. Her still-blank eyes never left the surface of the pond, her mind distant.

_Broken._

Dark spots speckled the rocks surrounding the pond as rain began to fall, lightly at first but steadily getting heavier. Still the girl did not move, her gaze locked on the broken surface of the water. She felt the raindrops begin to soak through her clothes, the sharp cold piercing her skin. She knew she should get up, head inside and find shelter as the sky continued to release its onslaught of heavy wet needles. But she found she could only bring herself to lift her head, feeling the rain as it travelled in cold pathways across her skin.

_Weak._

The girl closed her eyes as the unrelenting whispers continued to gnaw at the edges of her mind. She allowed the rain to soak through her clothes, causing them to cling to her skin with numbing cold.

'_If only it could numb these thoughts as well.'_

She focused on the feeling of the rain hitting her face, stinging slightly with the cold of the impact. She ignored that the warm streaks that had begun running down her cheeks and mixing with the rain. She was better off pretending they weren't there. The contrast of temperatures caused her to shiver, a chill tingling down her spine.

"S-Sakura-sama…"

A quiet, stuttering voice broke through the pattering of water, a shadow falling over her and cutting off the downpour of water.

Sakura opened her eyes to see the worried face of her maid looking down on her, the umbrella she was holding protecting both girls from the rain. It looked like she had hurried over to the pond, as she was slightly out of breath and her standard black and white uniform a little dishevelled.

"Y-you should come inside… You'll catch a cold out here…"

Sakura plastered a fake smile on her face, trying to convince the other girl that she shouldn't look so concerned. Neither of them bought it, and it quickly faded.

"Sorry, Hinata. I guess I lost track of time."

It had been weeks since the incident that had left Sakura broken and lifeless, and it had pained the maid girl to see her friend so distant and withdrawn. The pink-haired girl who was once so full of life and happiness now went through each day with a mechanical stiffness, barely eating and often just sitting and blankly staring into the distance.

The violet-haired maid held out her hand to help Sakura up, but quickly took it back when the girl ignored it and got up by herself. Sakura felt her joints click after staying in the same position for so long, and stretching only earned more pops and clicks. Hinata looked away with reddened cheeks, seemingly embarrassed by such noises. Sakura turned to leave, the servant-girl hurrying after her with the umbrella.

They walked up the dirt path leading to Sakura's house in silence. Hinata kept fidgeting, sensing the awkward silence but not knowing what to do to break it. The familiar walk that had often been full of animated conversations and light hearted jokes was now empty and followed by an atmosphere of heavy, suffocating quiet. The only sound was the steady pattering of rain and their footsteps grinding against the dirt as they walked. At last they came to the sheltered veranda at the back of the house, lights glowing yellow in the near-darkness. Hinata closed her umbrella, shaking it to rid it of water.

Sakura paused, staring up at the looming shadow of her house. She supposed she couldn't really call it just a house – it was more of a mansion, made up of too many rooms to count, the windows all made of the finest glass and fanciest frames. Most of the elegant curtains were pulled, a job done by the many servants that were employed by her father. Some light escaped from the cracks, cutting through the evening's darkness and falling on the neatly-cut grass. The bright flowers in the beds surrounding the house shook as they were hit by falling raindrops, their colours muted in the darkness.

Noticing that Sakura had stopped, Hinata also paused, unsure whether she should wait with her or continue to lead her inside.

"S-Sakura-sama?" The maid said uncertainly, snapping Sakura's thoughts back to the waiting maid.

"Sorry. Let's go."

Hinata nodded and opened the elegant glass doors, holding them for Sakura as she headed inside. Sakura's soaked clothes and tangled wet hair dripped rainwater all over the expensive carpet, earning more concerned glances from her maid.

"I'll g-go get you some towels…" Hinata trailed off, leaving Sakura alone so she could hurry away through the corridors of the mansion in search of towels.

Sakura watched her go, the maid's violet hair swishing gracefully as she walked. Sakura glanced at her own tangled pink locks, neglected and knotted. She hadn't brushed it for days, and even then it was one of her maids who had fought with the matted strands, not her.

She walked through the halls, heading up stairs and through lushly carpeted corridors. She stopped outside her room, the simple white door seeming plain in contrast with the surrounding extravagance. Sakura remembered how her mother had tried to install the most beautiful and expensive door she could find - ones made of rare and sought-after wood, ones carved with intricate designs and swirling patterns. But Sakura wouldn't have it, and settled for one that was plain and simple. She had said that it suited her needs, and that it was only a door. Her mother had gone off in a huff, but had ordered it anyway.

'_After all, the only child of the Haruno family would inevitably be spoiled.'_ Sakura thought distantly, twisting the door handle and walking inside. She glanced briefly at her hairbrush, before dismissing it and lying down on her bed. She felt the rainwater from her clothes seep into the bed sheets beneath her, but didn't shift to remove them. The feeling of damp clothes clinging to her skin helped to keep her mind distracted. She needed distractions. She wanted to delay her thoughts from repeating the memories.

She had tried to make them stop, to break the unending cycle that always caused her mind to snap back to that time. But all her efforts were in vain, so in the end Sakura had just stopped fighting. She closed her eyes, the damp clothes beginning to itch as they stuck to her body.

The door opened as Hinata entered, carrying with her the high quality towels the Haruno family kept stored away in some highly expensive cupboard. She paused as she realised Sakura had not changed from her rain-soaked clothes. Hinata should have been used to it by now, but she still couldn't bring herself to expect the girl who was once her friend - and not much older than herself - looking so distant and lifeless.

"Sakura-sama, I brought y-you some t-towels…" She said, her soft voice stumbling slightly as she offered the fluffy white material to the pink-haired girl. When Sakura didn't reply, she walked over to the bed and awkwardly set them down next to her.

For a moment, the girls' eyes met. Hinata's pale eyes filled with pity when she saw that Sakura's sea-green ones were glazed over, dull. Then the moment passed, and Hinata quickly glanced away, an unsettling chill making its way down her spine. She felt as if she had seen something she shouldn't have. Those eyes looked as if they were haunted, the person inside broken and empty. It didn't feel right to see such a look on a girl like Sakura, who used to be filled with so much life and had a tendency to burst with fiery anger when provoked.

"S-Sakura…" She stammered quietly, unsure of what to say. "Um… W-Would you like me to brush your h-hair?"

The pink-haired girl's only reply was to nod stiffly, her eyes continuing to stare at the ceiling. Just when Hinata was thinking she would have to ask or help Sakura to get up, the rain-soaked girl sat up, and walked mechanically over to the plain vanity table. She pulled out the chair and sat down, her gaze unfocused when she looked in the mirror. Hinata quickly followed, and picked up the brush left neglected on the vanity. She raised it hesitantly, not certain of where to start. Sakura's once flowing locks of beautiful pink hair were now matted and tangled, their sheen dulled. Hinata tried to hide how her lips curved down in sad frown. It was upsetting to see the girl that had been her close friend let herself become so detached from her – from everything.

Setting those thoughts aside, Hinata began to brush the knots, trying as hard as she could to work out all of the tangles. Time seemed to pass slower than usual in the awkward and unsettling silence, but Hinata couldn't overcome her shyness and break through it.

Minutes turned into an hour, and having done what she could, Hinata set the brush down. The pale-eyed girl glanced at Sakura, who had sat almost unmoving for the entire time, the same glazed look in her eyes.

"I have to g-go home now, Sakura-sama… My father won't be h-happy if I work too late…"

At first, Hinata got no reply, only a slow blink and slight nod of the head.

"That's okay. Thank you, Hinata. See you tomorrow." Sakura's voice was flat, emotionless. Giving one last look at the other girl, Hinata nodded and left, quietly shutting the door behind her.

For a while, Sakura didn't move. She just stared at her reflection in the mirror. She almost didn't recognise herself anymore. The girl that stared back at her had her pink locks, flowing past her shoulders to stop at her mid-back, her green eyes, her face… But that girl wasn't her anymore – her hair was dull, her eyes lifeless and her face pale and slightly reddened from being out in the rain too long.

This girl was weak.

_No, you've always been weak. You just didn't see it._

"Weak… No…" She whispered. The girl's reflection suddenly became fuzzy and distorted. Sakura realised she was crying, the warm tears trailing down her cheeks.

"No…" She whispered again, holding her head in her hands as flashes from that day began to resurface. She knew she couldn't stop them, so she just waited for them to be over - the memories tormenting her and reminding her that she was useless, pathetic, _weak._

_Sneering, hungry faces. _

_Rough and forceful hands, grabbing at her and leaving bruises._

_The sharp sound of ripping material._

_Shame at being unable to fight back._

She stumbled over to her bed, not bothering to change, and curled up on the sheets. Her mind tortured her, forcing her to relive her very real nightmare. Eventually everything else was blocked out and she fell into a dreamless and empty sleep, the sheets damp from rainwater and tears.

* * *

Hinata finished changing, placing her uniform back into one of the lockers that all employees of the Haruno family were allowed. She smoothened out her black jeans and adjusted the zip on her purple and white hoodie before turning to leave.

"Hinata-sama."

Hinata jumped and let out a squeak, her face blushing red with the embarrassment of making such a sound.

"I-Ino… I didn't hear you come into the changing room!" She squeaked, her cheeks still blushing and impressive shade of red.

"Sorry 'bout that. I guess I can't help the natural elegance that causes my movements to be silent…" The busty platinum-haired girl made a dramatic gesture, emphasising her supposed 'natural elegance'. Seeing that the smaller girl hadn't gotten her joke, she sighed.

"My excellent wit is lost in this place. Whatever. The Boss needs to see you – he's in his office." Ino made another gesture, this time in the direction of the door.

"Oh. Okay. Um, thanks Ino." Hinata replied, grabbing her bag and hurrying off into the hallway.

"Jeez, that girl is like a mouse." Ino said to herself, raising perfectly plucked eyebrow and shaking her head.

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Hinata paused outside the large oak door leading into the office of the Boss, the golden placard displaying his name - _Kizashi Haruno._

This was a name well known all throughout the country. He was a successful businessman surrounded by exquisite riches, and head of Konoha Industries. His privately owned company sold the latest and highest quality medicines, and researched new cures and treatments. People jokingly said that if you felt ill, walk within one mile of the company and you'd immediately recover.

But to those who knew him better and asked around in the right places, he also sold more dubious wares, supplying guns, drugs and the like to his own and other gangs. Of course, his gang was one of the most powerful in the country, owning wide expanses of territory and having the most influence. His 'business' went mostly unnoticed – it's funny how a little bit of money here and there can get you friends in high places. But then again, this was a little unnecessary as he was in one of those high places, so few dared to bother him.

Some called him a thug, a crook - but he preferred to be referred to as 'the Boss'. Sure, it was an overused name, but it was simple and practical.

Hinata didn't like to pry though, so kept her nose out of the dubious and almost certainly illegal business of her employer.

Raising her fist to knock, she heard the volume of noise inside the office raise to an impressive level, the door handle seeming to almost shake with the force. Hinata became increasingly more nervous with every passing second, unable to bring herself to knock. The Boss was a very powerful man – everything about him produced an aura of wealth and a kind of majesty only achieved by a rare few. He was refined in a way that made everyone around him know he was a no-nonsense man, and no one wanted to get on the wrong side of him.

Most people didn't want to know about what happened to people who did. Those who knew wished they didn't.

And right now, the sound level in the office of one of the most powerful gang leaders in the country was getting to a worryingly violent level. Nobody wanted to be called to the Boss's office when he was in this mood. Unfortunately for Hinata, she was that unlucky person today.

Hinata gathered what little courage she had and knocked on the door, three light taps announcing her presence. She was hoping they would be heard over all the commotion.

Things went suddenly silent in the office, followed by a booming and slightly irritated voice –

"What is it?"

Hinata went an impressive and worrying shade of red with nervousness, and opened the heavy oak door hurriedly.

"Y-You wanted t-to see m-me?" She squeaked, stumbling over her words more than usual as her nerves got to her.

Kizashi Haruno stood behind his desk, dressed in a very expensive and finely tailored suit. His expression was somewhere in between angry and furious. It didn't help with Hinata's confidence.

Then a sudden change overcame him, his aura shifting from a ruthless and violent gang leader to a kind and friendly employer. His stormy expression broke into a welcoming smile.

"Ah, of course. Come in, Hinata! This matter will only take a few minutes, I promise."

Taking a few uncertain steps into the spacious room, the servant girl noticed that they were not alone. A woman sat in one of the designer leather chairs occupying the office, her legs elegantly crossed and her delicate hands rested on her lap.

Her features were sharp and striking, but not by any means unattractive, her piercing forest-green eyes fixed on Hinata. She was wearing an expensive white Chinese cheongsam dress, the single item of clothing probably costing more than Hinata would earn in a year – and that was saying something, considering she was employed by one of the wealthiest families in the country. It hugged her slim form; making it obvious that time had not marred her figure. The maid didn't even want to _think_ about the price tag attached to the beautiful jewellery the woman wore, which sparkled in the lights of the office.

This woman was Mebuki Haruno, wife of the Boss. In her prime she had been a model, gracing many a catwalk with her majestic elegance. Contrary to popular belief when it came to supermodels, she had an intelligent gleam in her eyes, almost cunning. As her younger days were behind her, she had used her experience in the fashion industry to produce several stunning clothing collections, becoming increasingly well-known around the world. Like her husband, she had an air of refined majesty about her that few managed to achieve.

The Boss sat down at his desk, placing his elbows on the surface and resting his head on his hands, his expression now serious.

"I understand that you have been working for me for some time now, and are a personal maid to my daughter, Sakura."

Hinata nodded quickly, feeling Mebuki's eyes still locked on her.

"You will know, then, about the… incident… that occurred a few weeks ago."

Hinata nodded again, noticing how both the Haruno's expressions turned stormy and somewhat pained. She tried not to fidget.

Mebuki spoke up from her place in the chair, seemingly impatient.

"What my husband means to say is that we wish to know how our daughter is getting on. We would see for ourselves, but we have been somewhat… busy… with matters concerning this situation. Though it pains me to say this, you spend more time with Sakura than we have been able to. How would you say she is coping?"

Hinata considered this, her eyes downcast.

"W-Well, I don't think she's d-doing very w-well…"

The Boss sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly.

"Could you expand on that a little?" He asked.

"O-Oh, um, yes. She still isn't e-eating very much; she isn't r-really taking proper care of herself… She b-barely lets anyone touch her. She hasn't returned to school yet…" She looked up. "In all h-honesty, Boss, I'm worried about h-her…"

Both of the Harunos looked even more pained. It reassured Hinata a little to know that at least Sakura's parents really did care about their daughter's condition, but it still didn't deal with the situation.

"I see," Kizashi said, glancing at his wife before returning to the maid, "You have been most helpful. Thank you, Hinata. You may go now."

"W-Whatever I can do to h-help, Boss." She bowed to both him and Mebuki before wishing them a good evening and beating a hasty retreat.

The door clicked shut and Kizashi turned to his wife.

"Things can't keep going on like this. I'm doing the best I can to find the bastards that did this to our daughter, but we need to do_ something_ about Sakura. We can't just leave her like this."

Mebuki looked at her husband, her eyes cold.

"We can't let this happen again. Our daughter…" She sighed and closed her eyes, hesitating before opening them again. "She needs protecting. She can't defend herself – she's weak."

_Weak._

Kizashi sighed as well. He knew it was true. Sakura had never learned any form of self-defence, and being the daughter of a man as well-known and influential as he was, he should have known better. He was a fool to think that his only child wouldn't be targeted. Both he and Mebuki had tried to protect Sakura, to allow her to have as normal a life as someone as privileged as her could. They had wanted to assign more bodyguards to her, but Sakura wouldn't hear of it. She refused to be followed around by "a bunch of creepy, suspicious-looking men who wear sunglasses inside", as Sakura had put it in one of her fiery outbursts. And so, tired of fighting with her, the Haruno couple assigned only two guards to watch over their daughter from a distance.

But it was these two guards who had delivered their daughter right into the hands of their enemies.

"We should have been more careful." He said massaging his temples as he felt a stress headache coming on.

"I know. But there's nothing we can do to change the past." Mebuki replied, rising from her chair and making her way over to her husband's desk. "But we can stop it from happening again."

Kizashi looked up at his wife.

"You sound like you have something in mind."

"Another bodyguard. Sakura needs another bodyguard."

"What do you mean? Only one bodyguard?" Kizashi frowned, gazing questioningly at Mebuki.

"I know of someone who should work well. She's someone we can trust, and has many talents besides just protection."

"She…?" Kizashi raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Her name is Tsunade."

_To be continued…_

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**If you got this far, I am truly proud of you. Okay, so not a lot happened in this chapter, but I'm building up to stuff – I promise! If you liked it, please let me know. I have plans for some characters, but if you think I should include any others, tell me and I'll think about adding them :) **

**Oh and btw, just in case you don't know what a cheongsam is, it's a Chinese dress. It's really pretty, go Google it :D **

**Thanks again!**

**~Saph76**


	2. Chapter 2

**Growing Stronger **

**Here's chapter two! It took a while to write, because I'm really terrible at short chapters… But oh well – I hope you like it!**

**This story now has cover art, which you can find the link to on my profile ;)**

**Thanks to Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail for the review – I hope my fic keeps your interest!**

**As always, I would appreciate any favourites and reviews – It puts a smile on my face and helps me get the next chapter out faster! I will give you a magical imaginary unicorn if you do lol~**

**Now, on to chapter two…**

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**Chapter Two**

All the people in the bar were gathered around one table in silence, atmosphere heavy with tension. The card game had been going on for at least an hour, and had finally reached the point when it was win or lose.

The two players sat facing each other on opposite sides of the worn and scratched table, eyes flicking from their cards to their opponent. On the left side was a man in his mid-thirties, holding his cards with a smug grin on his face. He gave of an air of confidence; his beady eyes set on the large stack of money in the centre of the table. The crowd around him that saw his set shook their heads in the direction of the other player – there was no way she could win.

"I can't believe she bet that much on one game…" whispered one of the bartenders, too engrossed in the game to be serving drinks. No one wanted any anyway; they were too busy watching the game. The people near him nodded their silent agreement.

Facing the confident player was a woman, her shoulders tense and her glossy lips set in a thin line of concentration. The dim lighting made her spiky sandy-blonde ponytail gleam, and glinted off the green crystal necklace that rested between her rather voluptuous breasts. A blue diamond-shaped tattoo on her forehead stood out against her pale skin, appearing darker in the dimly lit room. Her honey brown eyes were narrowed, focused on the cards her delicate hands kept hidden from view.

"Looks like she'll lose again," muttered someone from the crowd. "That's the Legendary Loser Tsunade for you."

Few noticed her eye twitch in annoyance at this hated nickname. She reached for the bottle of sake set on the table and took a long swig of the alcohol, a few drops falling onto her cropped white shirt. A few raised their eyebrows at this, as her cheeks were already reddened from the four bottles she'd already downed.

"Well, come on then!" said her opponent, smug smirk still in place, "Show us your cards!"

"You first," she replied, her fierce eyes locking with his in a challenging glare.

"Tch. Fine then."

He placed his cards on the table, his grin widening to show yellowed teeth.

Four of a kind.

"It's impossible for her to win. Not with her luck," somebody hissed, turning back to their drink. Most of the crowd murmured agreements and began to walk away, going back to their tables. Her opponent moved to scrape the pile of money into his arms, yellow teeth flashing.

"Not so fast."

He stopped, grin frozen on his face. Those leaving paused and looked back, their expressions ranging from confused to surprised.

Tsunade laid her cards down on the table, her manicured red nails clicking against the scratched wood.

"Five, six, seven, eight and nine of Hearts. Better luck next time, Kenichiro."

There was uproar, the entire bar in disbelief. Tsunade, the Legendary Loser, had won the game – and with a Royal Flush, no less?

"WHAT?" shouted the smaller man, his face burning with rage.

Tsunade just sat in silence, ignoring the commotion around her.

'_How did I manage that? I never have luck like this… Unless - '_

"CHEATER!" Kenichiro screeched, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"What? I don't cheat!" yelled Tsunade, raising from her seat and slamming her hands down on the table.

"That money is fuckin' mine!" he shouted, diving at the notes and trying to scrape them into his arms.

"No! I won that money fair and square, you bastard!"

Tsunade grabbed for the stash, aiming for the thickest wad.

"You owe me more than this anyway! Give it to me!"

"Never!"

With a roar, Kenichiro drew a long, wicked-looking knife from inside his jacket. The bar went silent, shocked.

Tsunade glared at him, money clutched in her hands. He sneered cruelly, the light flashing off the blade.

"Hand over my money, bitch."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed at the knife, her grip on the notes tightening.

"How about no."

Kenichiro frowned, confused for a second. And then her heeled sandal connected with his face, sending him flying into a nearby table.

Tsunade twisted her body to adjust her balance as she brought he leg down, then made a break for the exit. Just as she'd reached the door, two stocky men dressed in black suits blocked her path. She twirled around, arms still full of money, her only exit blocked.

Kenichiro stood up, clutching his face. He looked absolutely furious.

'_That's gonna leave a bruise tomorrow. Heh.' _Tsunade mused, a slightly drunken smirk curving her lips upwards.

"You think this is funny, huh?" the injured man questioned, picking up his knife. He took a few slow, purposeful steps towards the sandy-haired woman, an angry red mark already forming on his left cheek.

The two suited men grabbed her from behind, causing the money to fall to the floor.

"I've waited long enough for the debts you owe me," he sneered, moving closer to the captured woman. The rest of the bar was frozen in a shocked silence, no one moving to help.

"I think I'm well within my rights to take a little… more… than money." He gave her a cruel smile, raising the long blade to her larger-than-average chest.

Tsunade just raised an eyebrow, giving him a look that said _are-you-serious_.

"Pfft. I'd like to see you try, little man." Tsunade spat, causing him to become even more infuriated.

At this, Tsunade jammed her elbow into the gut of one of the men restraining her, forcing him to double over and clutch his stomach in pain, releasing her arm. She took care of the other suited man by hooking her leg behind his and sweeping it out from beneath him, causing him to topple over; hitting his head on a table edge with a nasty smack.

Now free from her restraints, Tsunade turned to her third assailant before the other two had time to recover.

He raised his knife to attack, but she just swatted it away, the blade falling to the floor with a clang.

"You'll have to try a lot harder than that."

With a strength surprising for a woman her size, Tsunade caught him under the chin with a hooked punch that sent him flying across the room to crash into a pile of chairs.

Hearing a grunt from behind her, Tsunade whirled around to face the two now recovered men in suits.

One thundered toward her with a growl, aiming a punch at her stomach. Tsunade sidestepped at the last second, causing him to lose his balance when the hit missed its target. As the brute fell past her, she landed a powerful strike to a point on the back of his neck, knocking him out cold.

The faced off with the last of her opponents, sinking into a fighting stance.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Tsunade challenged, cocking her head to the side in a teasing manner, "Scared you'll end up like your thug buddies?"

The large man looked unsure now, seeing the state his two partners were in – one lying unmoving on a pile of chairs, the other sprawled face down on the floor at Tsunade's feet.

Seeing his hesitation, Tsunade relaxed her stance and began to turn away, heading in the direction of the sake that stood waiting on the table.

"Thought so. Go home to your mama, big boy," she jeered over her shoulder.

At this the thug roared and stampeded toward the suddenly off-guard woman, tackling her and knocking her over.

Banknotes from the game fluttered across the floor as the two landed heavily on the floor, Tsunade's head spinning from the impact and the effects of the alcohol.

'_Maybe I shouldn't have had that last bottle,' _she thought to herself as the brute raised his fist in preparation to strike.

Suddenly, there was a flash of metal and a knife appeared at the suited man's neck, causing him to freeze at the feel of cold metal against his skin.

"I would hold it right there if I were you." A deep male voice ordered.

Tsunade forced her eyes to focus on the scene above her, her head pounding.

A tall, well-built man held a knife to her assailant's neck, a shock of spiky white hair tied back in a bushy ponytail, long bangs framing his face. Narrow, red stripes ran from his eyes and ended in points mid-cheek, drawing attention away from the small wart to the left side of his nose. His muscled chest was partially covered by a mesh shirt, his broad shoulders covered by a dark grey jacket. His eyes were such a dark brown they were almost black, giving the impression of enlarged pupils. And at that point, those eyes were fixed on her.

Tsunade recognised him after a few moments of waiting for her double vision to merge, smiling clumsily up at his familiar face.

"Hey, Jiraiya. Long time no see."

"Yeah, it's been a while. What are you doing in a run-down place like this, Tsunade?"

The dazed woman looked around the bar, at the wallpaper peeling off the walls and scratched tables, worn floors and blinking lights in need of new bulbs.

'_Huh. It didn't seem so tatty earlier. But I suppose that was after all the sake…'_

"Oh, the usual," she retorted. "Playing card-games, drinking sake, having fun…"

"And getting into bar fights?" Jiraiya finished, raising a white eyebrow at her.

Tsunade shrugged. Well, shrugged as much as a woman could when she was being sat on by a beefy suited thug.

"Are you gonna let this guy lie on top of me forever or are you going to help me up?"

Jiraiya smirked and pulled the man up, still holding the blade to his neck. As soon as he was clear of Tsunade, Jiraiya bludgeoned him on the back of the head with the blunt hilt of his knife, knocking him out. Tossing the unconscious man to the side, he held out his hand to the sandy-haired woman on the floor and helped her to her feet.

Tsunade tottered for a second as her head spun, clutching her head with one hand.

"Ugh. And I only had five bottles." She groaned, earning a chuckle from Jiraiya.

"Come on, let's go." Jiraiya said, the frozen crowd's eyes following them as he led the tipsy Tsunade toward the now-clear door.

"But my money -" she began to protest before being cut off by Jiraiya.

"Leave it. There's more of that where I'm taking you. Besides, it might make them leave you alone for a while."

Giving one last longing glance at the notes strewn across the floor and muttering something about Royal Flushes, she sighed and let Jiraiya lead her out of the bar.

The sky outside was still grey with clouds from the previous night's rain, but even so Tsunade blinked and squinted at the sudden change in light.

She turned and saw Jiraiya heading in the direction of a sleek black car, and hurried after him as fast as her surfacing headache would allow.

He opened the passenger's door and waited for Tsunade to climb in.

"But I want to drive." She pouted, glaring at him.

Jiraiya gave her an odd look, followed by an amused smile.

"You don't know where we're going. And it's my car."

"Uh." Tsunade replied dumbly.

'_Obviously the sake is getting to me. Damn, I didn't get to finish that last bottle…"_

Clumsily, she shuffled into the car, ignoring Jiraiya's pervy glance at the way her movements jiggled her breasts. He slammed the door shut and made his way around to the driver's side, sticking his keys into the ignition. Tsunade noticed the key ring he had attached to them – a swirling metal leaf.

"Working for Konoha Industries now, are ya?" she questioned, eyeing the keychain.

"Yeah, it's pretty good pay." He replied, pulling out of the parking space and driving along the road. "Boss's generous, too."

"S' that so…" Tsunade mumbled, eyes narrowing.

"Speaking of, that's where we're heading."

Tsunade snapped her head in his direction, making her head spin in protest.

"What?!"

The spiky-haired man glanced at her, then turned back to the road.

"Yeah. The Boss has a job offer to make you."

"Well I don't want it. Let me out. Now."

"Tsunade…"

She narrowed her eyes at him, her voice serious.

"You know I left that kind of business years ago for a reason. I'm not going back."

Jiraiya sighed.

"Please, just give this a chance. It's not all bad. It's different."

Tsunade glared at him.

"What do you mean, 'different'?"

"You'll see when you get there. The Boss is a nice guy - he'll give you more details."

Tsunade kept her eyes narrowed, then turned to look out of the car window, staying silent.

Jiraiya gave her a sidelong glance, then focused back on the road, heading in the direction of the Haruno family's residence.

* * *

The rest of the trip had been made in silence, Jiraiya's stubborn companion refusing to talk to him.

At last, he pulled up in front of the Haruno's mansion gates, winding down his window to buzz the intercom. Tsunade looked up and noticed the many cameras and scowled.

'_Fancy men in their fancy mansions.'_

After a few seconds of static, a fuzzy voice asked for identification.

"It's Jiraiya. I've got her with me, let me in."

There was a click, and the wrought iron gates began to open.

Jiraiya drove the car up the main drive, his eyes flicking between the woman next to him and the road.

"Stop that."

He gave her a questioning look.

"Stop what?"

"Staring at me like that. You've been doing it the entire journey here."

'_And it wasn't just at my face.'_ She noted.

Jiraiya looked sheepish.

"Heh, sorry. But it's been a while, hasn't it? I can't remember the last time I saw you."

Tsunade's reply was a snort, followed by a faint smile.

"Yeah. It's good to see you, too."

Jiraiya gave her his trademark grin, his eyes lighting up.

"How's Gamabunta doing?"

Tsunade rolled her eyes, smiling.

"Fine, fine. He's his usual croaky self."

"Good to know. Maybe I can pop round and see him sometime."

Tsunade smiled her agreement, his cheery personality finally melting through her icy front.

Eventually they came to the end of the drive, and Jiraiya pulled up and parked his car outside the main entrance.

"We're here. Your headache okay yet?"

Tsunade groaned and clutched her head.

"Not really. But oh well, I never cared for good first impressions anyway."

Jiraiya laughed, getting out of the car. Tsunade opened the car door and followed suit.

"Let me show you to the main office."

Tsunade hesitated for a second and stood staring up at the huge mansion. The gardens around it were huge and well-kept, the lawns freshly mown. The flowerbeds were bright with many different kinds of plants, raindrops glistening slightly in the fading light. The house itself was enormous, the entrance carved with swirling, intricate patterns and designs.

"You coming inside or are you just gonna stand there and ponder the meaning of life eh, Tsunade?"

"Uh, sorry." She shook her head, trying to ignore the pounding effects of the sake she'd drunk earlier.

She followed Jiraiya up the marble steps of the entrance and in through the huge oak doors, their surfaces covered in twisting leaf carvings and other natural forms. They continued through hallways and corridors, each one lavishly furnished with expensive items from all around the world.

Finally, they came to a stop at a large door bearing the nameplate of Kizashi Haruno, head of Konoha Industries.

"You ready?" Jiraiya asked, facing his old friend.

"Am I supposed to be?" she replied, rubbing her temples irritably.

"Nah, but I guess it would help." He laughed, before raising his fist and knocking on the door.

"Enter!" Came the resounding reply, and Jiraiya gave one last grin to his friend as he turned the doorknob and entered the room, Tsunade in tow.

Kizashi Haruno sat at his desk, a welcoming smile on his face.

"Jiraiya! And Tsunade Senju! It's a pleasure to finally meet you; my wife has told me so much about you."

Jiraiya smiled in greeting, and stood to the side, allowing Tsunade to better entrance to the office.

Tsunade walked in and looked around the room, getting the feeling that she should be impressed by the luxurious leather armchairs and surrounding décor around the office. The lampshades were made out of golden amber, and there were undoubtedly genuine masterpieces hanging on the walls. Kizashi Haruno's desk faced away from a large window that took up the entire wall, giving a stunning view of the gardens surrounding the front of the house.

"Pleasure." Tsunade replied curtly, hands on her hips.

If the Boss was insulted by this short reply, he didn't show it and continued to smile warmly.

"I take it you understand the reason you're here?" He asked, folding his hands on the desk in front of him.

"No, actually. I was told you had a job to offer me, but that's all I know." She gave a sidelong glance at Jiraiya, who smiled reassuringly at her before returning his gaze to the window.

"Ah. Well, take a seat. I'd like you to consider this offer seriously." Kizashi gestured to a leather chair in front of his desk.

"Jiraiya, thank you for finding her. You may go now."

The white-haired man nodded, and grinned at Tsunade.

"See you around, Tsunade."

He turned to the door and made his exit, the handle clicking shut as it closed.

Tsunade made her way over to the chair and sat down. She stared warily at the Boss, a sceptical look in her brown eyes.

"As you may have heard, there was an incident involving my daughter a few weeks ago."

Tsunade paused and nodded, recalling a news report she had seen around that time.

"Mmm. Kidnap and held to ransom, was it?"

The Boss's expression darkened, his eyes brooding.

"Yes. Something like that." He looked at her, brow set in a serious frown. "That is the reason I have called you here today with a job offer. The last two to have this job failed me, but my wife has told me that you are someone we can trust."

Tsunade nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"My daughter needs protection, and I've heard that your varied talents and skills are among the best. So here it is, plain and simple – I would like you to become my daughter's bodyguard."

The young woman sat in her chair, slightly bewildered.

"You want _me_ do become a _bodyguard _for your daughter?" She repeated, surprised by the sudden turn of events. One moment she was getting drunk in some tacky bar in the run-down part of town, the next she was in the office of one of the most powerful men in the country receiving the job offer for protecting his daughter.

'_Well I certainly didn't expect this when I woke up this morning.' _She thought to herself.

"What would I have to do?" She asked, recovering slightly.

"Besides the obvious task of protecting her from anything that might cause her harm, I would like you to teach her some self-defence. Also, I have heard you are an incredibly skilled doctor."

Tsunade frowned.

"Not quite. I never completed my doctorate."

"But you do own a clinic, yes?"

"Yes, I inherited it from my mother."

"Fair enough. I have heard good things about it through some of my associates."

Tsunade tilted her head, surprised.

"I don't remember treating any staff from Konoha Industries."

"Oh, they weren't scientists or doctors. But I digress. I just wanted confirm what I've heard. The reason these talents will come in handy is that Sakura is going through some… tough times. She may be in need of such skills."

Tsunade still frowned, but nodded in understanding.

"So? Are you willing to accept the job?"

She hesitated, still unsure.

"Alongside your monthly salary, we will provide accommodation for you here at the residence. And all debts that you owe will be paid off by me personally."

Her brown eyes widened. That was quite a sum of money.

"How do you know about my debts?" she asked.

Kizashi waved the question off, smiling.

"I have my ways. But I am willing to pay them off. Down to the last penny."

'_That's some serious persuasion skill right there…"_ Tsunade mused. She paused, wanting to get one last thing straight.

"How long will I be working for you?"

"Indefinitely. There is no set timeframe. You will have this job until you or I decide otherwise. And I hope to have you employed here for as long as possible."

'_Seems like a fair deal to me. Nothing too dodgy…' _

She sighed.

"Fine. I'll do it."

"Ah, I thought you'd come round eventually!" He smiled, holding his hand out to Tsunade over the desk.

The sandy-haired woman took it, and shook on the deal.

"Thank you for accepting my offer. It really means a lot to me and my family."

Kizashi returned his hand to his side and gestured to the door.

"We already have a room set up for you. My daughter's maid, Hinata, will show you the way."

"Thank you… Boss." Tsunade replied. It felt strange addressing someone with the title – it had been a long time since she had last had a job.

Seeing as she was dismissed, she walked over to the door. With a last look over her shoulder at her new employer's encouraging smile, she twisted the handle and stepped outside the office. She was surprised to find the maid he had mentioned already waiting outside the door.

"H-Hello, Tsunade-sama!" The girl stuttered, startled by the older woman's sudden exit.

'_What a shy girl…' _

The two women stood in silence for a few moments, before Tsunade cleared her throat.

"Uh… Hello. I was told you would show me where to find my room…?"

"O-Oh! Yes! R-Right this way, please…" The girl took off town the corridor, her long hair swishing gracefully as she walked.

Tsunade noticed that the pale-eyed girl had a slight elegance in her movements, usually only found in those who had been brought up to act in such a way.

'_This girl comes from a prestigious family… What's she doing as a maid here?'_

Before Tsunade could voice her question, the girl came to an abrupt halt outside a room situated in a narrow hallway.

"T-This is where you will b-be staying during your time here." Hinata explained, handing a key to the other woman. "This is the m-main key, but we have spares should you need one."

"Um… Thanks." Tsunade said, accepting the key. She took a quick look down the hallway, noticing one other door - a simple, plain white one. After seeing the extravagance of the rest of the house, Tsunade thought it appeared somewhat out of place here.

"Whose room is that?" she asked the servant girl, nodding to the door.

Hinata turned her head in the direction Tsunade was gesturing in, then quickly looked back.

"That's Sakura-sama's room. The Boss had you put close to her bedroom so that your job would be made easier…"

'_Makes sense. After all, a bodyguard should always be nearby the person they're assigned to protect…'_

"Okay. Thanks, Hinata."

The maid blushed and nodded, turning to leave.

"Oh! Wait, one more thing…" Tsunade said, clutching the key in her hand, "Do you know when I can go collect my stuff from my apartment?"

Hinata stopped, blushing a slightly brighter shade of red.

"T-That won't be necessary. The Boss arranged for m-most of your things to be brought here this afternoon." She bowed to a rather shocked Tsunade before adding, "I-If anything was left behind, don't hesitate t-to let us know!"

'_Wow. Now I feel slightly violated…'_

"Thanks again… See you later, I guess."

"M-My pleasure, Lady Tsunade!" The girl bowed again, before hurrying off down the corridor to attend to the rest of her duties.

"Lady Tsunade…?" She muttered, shaking her head at the title. At least it was better than the 'Legendary Loser'. It seemed she got a bit of respect around here, which was nice for a change.

She shoved the key Hinata had given her into the door, unlocking it with a click. Just as she was about to walk in, she took another look down the hallway. She was startled to find that the plain white door had been opened slightly, a figure standing in the open space.

Honey-brown eyes locked with pale sea-green ones, and Tsunade felt a shiver run down her spine.

The girl had long, messy pink hair, her skin pale to a point where it was almost sickly. She would have been pretty, if not for the fact she had obviously been neglecting to take care of herself.

As quickly as the moment had come, it was gone again. The door was pulled shut with a click, leaving Tsunade standing alone in the hall.

'_That's Sakura? No wonder the Boss wanted my skills as an almost-but-not-quite-doctor, that girl hasn't been looking after her health at all by the looks of her.'_

There was something off about the look that had been in the girl's eyes, but Tsunade tried to set those thoughts to the side. She would meet Sakura properly tomorrow, when she started her employment as her bodyguard and mentor.

But there had been something hauntingly familiar in those eyes. A look that she had once seen in her own – something broken, hopeless.

Tsunade shook her head. She didn't want to go there. And with that she held open the door and stepped inside her new room.

Tsunade's eyes widened – it was huge. The floors were covered in soft, high-quality carpets, the furniture exquisite and undoubtedly expensive. The bed was queen-sized and four-posted, the sheets made of luxurious silk. Light filtered in from between the beautiful curtains, giving the room a calming atmosphere. There was another door, probably leading to an en suite bathroom equally as stunning as the main bedroom.

'_Wow, they really went to town…' _she thought, taking in the fine details of the silk sheets covering the bed.

True to Hinata's word, most of her things had been brought from her apartment, placed neatly around the room. They seemed out of place compared to their lavish surroundings.

A sudden pounding in her head reminded Tsunade that she had drunk five bottles of sake earlier that evening. She eyed the bed, imagining how soft the material would feel if she just took a short rest…

'_It wouldn't hurt… It's my room, anyway.'_

Walking over to the four-poster bed, she kicked of her black heeled sandals and flopped onto it, relaxing as her body sank into the mattress.

"Just a few minutes…" she mumbled to herself, quickly drifting into a deep sleep.

'_Tomorrow's gonna be a big day…'_

_To be continued…_

* * *

**Wow you read this far… Keep up the good work guys xD **

**I'll try to update soon, so hang in there ;3**

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